House lighting device

Abstract

A house number light includes a frame defining an opening in a central portion and having a side opening along an inside face. The frame includes light sources, first and second power sources configured to provide electric power to the light sources, and a control circuit connected between the first power source and the light sources and connected between the second power source and the light sources. The control circuit electrically couples one of the first and the second power sources to the light sources at a time. If the first power source is electrically coupled to the light sources, electrical energy from the first power source passes through the control circuit to the light sources, and if the second power source is electrically coupled to the light sources, electrical energy provided by the second power source passes through the control circuit to the light sources.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A house number light comprising:
 a first post having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is adapted to be mounted to a surface to support the first post and the second end is distal from the first end; 
 a light bar, electrically and mechanically coupled to the second end of the first post, comprising a light source; 
 a light shade mechanically coupled to the second end of the first post or the light bar, 
 wherein the first post comprises a first side between the first and the second end, the first end comprises a flat plate, which extends under the light shade, such that when the flat plate is mounted to the surface to support the first post, the flat plate is positioned between the light shade and the surface and the flat plate does not extend to a position that is not between the light shade and the surface, the light shade is formed of a material that is opaque, the light shade comprises a first surface, a portion of the first surface faces towards the first end of the first post and the surface, the first surface of the light shade is reflective and has a substantially parabolic shape that is adapted to reflect light emitted from the light source substantially towards the surface and substantially focus the light emitted from the light source in a substantially rectangular-shaped wave front, the light shade comprises a second surface that is an opposite surface of the light shade relative to the first surface of the light shade, a portion of the second surface of the light shade faces substantially away from the first post and the surface, and the light shade is adapted to block light emitted from the light source from traveling in a direction away from first post and the surface; 
 first power source coupled to the first post; 
 a second power source inside the first post; and 
 a control circuit connected between the first power source and the light sources and connected between the second power source and the light sources, wherein: 
 the control circuit is located within the first post; 
 the control circuit is configured to electrically couple one of the first and the second power sources to the light sources at a time, 
 if the first power source is electrically coupled to the light sources, electrical energy is provided by the first power source passes through the control circuit to the light sources and the second power source is electrically uncoupled from the light sources, and 
 if the second power source is electrically coupled to the light sources, electrical energy is provided by the second power source passes through the control circuit to the light sources and the first power source is electrically uncoupled from the light sources. 
 
     
     
       2. The house number light of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuit comprises:
 a first switch connected between the first power source and the light sources, 
 a second switch connected between the second power source and the light sources, and 
 an ambient light detector coupled to the first and the second switches and configured to switch the first switch and the second switch. 
 
     
     
       3. The house number light of  claim 2 , wherein the ambient light detector is configured to open the first and the second switches if the light detector detects an ambient light intensity above a threshold light level intensity. 
     
     
       4. The house number light of  claim 1 , wherein the second power source includes a set of rechargeable batteries. 
     
     
       5. The house number light of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuit comprises a battery charging circuit, a switch coupled to the second power source, and a light emitting diode (LED) driver connected between the first power source and the light sources and connected between the first power source and the battery charging circuit. 
     
     
       6. The house number light of  claim 5 , wherein the LED driver comprises:
 a first diode (D 1 ) is arranged in series electrically with the first and the second power sources; 
 a first resistor (R 1 ) is arranged in series with the first and the second power sources and is electronically positioned between the D 1  and the second power source; 
 a second resistor (R 2 ) is arranged in series with the light source, the first power source, and the D 1 ; and 
 a second diode (D 2 ) is arranged in parallel with the first power source, the second power source, and the light source, wherein the D 1  is electronically positioned between the R 1  and the first power source, and the R 2  is electrically positioned between the D 1  and the light sources. 
 
     
     
       7. The house number light of  claim 1 , further comprising a second post mechanically coupled to the light bar. 
     
     
       8. The house number light of  claim 1 , wherein a focus of the parabolic shape has a first shape that is substantially linear, the light source has a second shape that is substantially linearly, the substantially linear shape of the light source is parallel with the substantially linear focus of the parabolic shape, and the light source is located substantially along the focus of the parabolic shape. 
     
     
       9. The house number light of  claim 1  wherein the second power source is positioned between the control circuit and the flat plate in the central opening formed in the first post. 
     
     
       10. The house number light of  claim 1  wherein the light shade does not extend laterally beyond the flat plate at a side of the house number light. 
     
     
       11. A house number light comprising:
 a first post having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is adapted to be mounted to a surface to support the first post and the second end is distal from the first end; 
 a light bar, mechanically coupled to the second end of the first post, comprising a light source; 
 a light shade mechanically coupled to the second end of the first post or the light bar, wherein the first post comprises a first side between the first and the second end, the first end comprises a flat plate, which extends under the light shade, such that when the flat plate is mounted to the surface to support the first post, the flat plate is positioned between the light shade and the surface and the flat plate does not extend to a position that is not between the light shade and the surface, and the light shade does not extend laterally beyond the flat plate at a side of the house number light, the light shade is formed of a material that is opaque, the light shade comprises a first surface, a portion of the first surface faces towards the first end of the first post and the surface, the first surface of the light shade is reflective and has a substantially conic section shape that is adapted to reflect light emitted from the light source substantially towards the surface and substantially focus the light emitted from the light source in a wave front that has a substantially rectangular-shape, the light shade comprises a second surface that is an opposite surface of the light shade relative to the first surface of the light shade, a portion of the second surface of the light shade faces substantially away from the first post and the surface, and the light shade is adapted to block light emitted from the light source from traveling in a direction away from first post and the surface; 
 a first power source coupled to the light source; 
 a second power source coupled to the light source, wherein the second power source is located inside a central opening formed in the first post and is electrically coupled to the light source; and 
 a control circuit, located inside the central opening formed in the first post, connected between the first power source and the light sources and connected between the second power source and the light sources, wherein: 
 the control circuit is configured to electrically couple one of the first and the second power sources to the light sources at a time, 
 if the first power source is electrically coupled to the light sources, electrical energy is provided by the first power source passes through the control circuit to the light sources and the second power source is electrically uncoupled from the light sources, and 
 if the second power source is electrically coupled to the light sources, electrical energy is provided by the second power source passes through the control circuit to the light sources and the first power source is electrically uncoupled from the light sources. 
 
     
     
       12. The house number light of  claim 11 , wherein the substantially conic section shape of the first surface of the light shade is a substantially parabolic shape. 
     
     
       13. The house number light of  claim 12 , wherein a focus of the parabolic shape has a first shape that is substantially linear, the light source has a second shape that is substantially linearly, the substantially linear shape of the light source is substantially parallel with the substantially linear focus of the conic section shape, and the light source is located substantially along the focus of the parabolic shape. 
     
     
       14. The house number light of  claim 11 , wherein the second power source includes a set of rechargeable batteries. 
     
     
       15. The house number light of  claim 11 , further comprising a second post, wherein the light shade is rotationally coupled to the first post and the second post. 
     
     
       16. The house number light of  claim 11 , the light shade, the first post, and the second post have substantially rectangular shapes. 
     
     
       17. The house number light of  claim 11 , wherein a focus of the conic section shape has a first shape that is substantially linear, the light source has a second shape that is substantially linearly, the substantially linear shape of the light source is parallel with the substantially linear focus of the conic section shape, and the light source is located substantially along the focus of the conic section shape. 
     
     
       18. The house number light of  claim 11  wherein the second power source is positioned between the control circuit and the flat plate in the central opening formed in the first post. 
     
     
       19. A light comprising:
 a first post having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is adapted to be mounted to a surface to support the first post and the second end is distal from the first end; 
 a light bar, mechanically coupled to the second end of the first post, comprising a light source; 
 a light shade mechanically coupled to the second end of the first post or the light bar, 
 wherein the first post comprises a first side between the first and the second end, the first end comprises a flat plate, which extends under the light shade, such that when the flat plate is mounted to the surface to support the first post, the flat plate is positioned between the light shade and the surface and the flat plate does not extend to a position that is not between the light shade and the surface, the light shade is formed of a material that is opaque, the light shade comprises a first surface, a portion of the first surface faces towards the first end of the first post and the surface, the first surface of the light shade is reflective and has a substantially parabolic shape that is adapted to reflect light emitted from the light source substantially towards the surface and substantially focus the light emitted from the light source in a substantially rectangular-shaped wave front, the light shade comprises a second surface that is an opposite surface of the light shade relative to the first surface of the light shade, a portion of the second surface of the light shade faces substantially away from the first post and the surface, and the light shade is adapted to block light emitted from the light source from traveling in a direction away from first post and the surface; 
 first power source coupled to the first post; 
 a second power source inside the first post; and 
 a control circuit connected between the first power source and the light sources and connected between the second power source and the light sources, wherein: 
 the control circuit is located within the first post; 
 the control circuit is configured to electrically couple one of the first and the second power sources to the light sources at a time, 
 if the first power source is electrically coupled to the light sources, electrical energy is provided by the first power source passes through the control circuit to the light sources and the second power source is electrically uncoupled from the light sources, and 
 if the second power source is electrically coupled to the light sources, electrical energy is provided by the second power source passes through the control circuit to the light sources and the first power source is electrically uncoupled from the light sources. 
 
     
     
       20. The light of  claim 19 , wherein the second power source includes a set of rechargeable batteries.